Wildlife and Forest Management

1
Wildlife and Forest Management
2
Forests

• Forests cover 37.6 of Earth land surface
• Home to 2/3 of all known species of plants and
  animals

3
Half of the forest present under modern
conditions has disappeared
4
What do we want from forests?

• Wood
• Non-timber forest products
• Watersheds
• Biodiversity, including wildlife
• Recreation
• Aesthetic qualities

5
What do we want from forests?

• 33 of worlds forests are used primarily for the
  production of wood and non-timber forest products
• 11 is primarily used for conservation of
  biodiversity (another 14 as secondary goal)

6
Forest ownership

• Private forest lands (individuals, timber
  companies) 16 and increasing
• Public forest lands (national forests, state
  forests) 84

7
Forest management

• Management has specific goal(s)
• Can be driven by profit
• Sustainable forest management considers social
  and ecological factors as well
• Techniques vary for different types of forests

8
Leopolds View of Forestry

• Type A land as a commodity, trees a crop to
  harvest
• Type B land as a community, all interconnected
  elements important (now known as ecosystem
  management)
• Shift in perspectives from A to B over time

9
Pacific Northwest Forests
10
Western Redcedar from the coast area in 1891.
11
Fire
Fire
Partial cut
Clearcut
(Franklin and Spies 1991)
12
Forest Management Wildlife

• Effects of Forest Age on Wildlife
• Old Growth Dependent Species
• Importance of Snags
• Fragmentation and Edge Effects

13
Wildlife of Natural Douglas-fir Forests
USFS Old-growth Wildlife Habitat Program
Number of stands studied
Young 10 Mature 8 Old-growth 28 Total 46
14
Bird Response to Forest Age WA Cascades
Abundance
Species Richness

• Statistically higher in old-growth than other age
  classes

Tendency for more species in old-growth (not
stat. sig.)
15
Patterns of abundance can vary spatially

• In California, birds were not more abundant in
  old-growth (Raphael 1991)

Number of Birds Counted
16
Mammal Response to Forest Age Classes Species
Diversity
Western WA Cascades
NW California
Slightly greater diversity in old growth and
mature forests (not stat. sig., Raphael 1991)

• Mature and old-growth forests have highest
  species diversity (West 1991)

17
Mammal Response to Forest Age Classes Abundance

• Old-growth forests have highest abundance
• S. Red-backed vole most abundant
• Forest deer mouse second most abundant

18
Amphibian Response to Forest Age Diversity
NW California
WA Cascades
Amphibian Diversity
Old growth Mature Young growth

• Diversity tends to be greatest in old growth
  forests (not stat. sig., Aubry and Hall 1991)

• (Raphael 1991)

19
Amphibian Response to Forest Age- S. Washington
Cascades

• Highest abundance in old-growth stands
• (Aubry Hall 1991)

Pacific chorus frog WA State Amphibian
20
Reptiles Are Most Diverse in Young Forests
California

• Highest reptile diversity in clearcuts
• Not surprising since they like warm, dry
  environments!
• (Raphael 1991)

Number of Species
Six-lined racerunner
21
Effects of Forest Age on Wildlife Overview

• Species richness varies regionally and by taxa
• Abundance also varies regionally and by taxa,
  but tend to be highest in old growth forests
• The highest diversity of wildlife will be
  retained with a high diversity of stand ages

22
Forest Management Wildlife

• Effects of Forest Age on Wildlife
• Old Growth Dependent Species
• Importance of Snags
• Fragmentation and Edge Effects

23
Old Growth Dependent SpeciesAmphibians

• Amphibians 18 species
• Important part of food web
• Can reach high local densities

Tailed Frog
Ensatina salamander
24
Old Growth Dependent SpeciesReptiles

• Reptiles none closely associated with old growth
  forests
• Some dependent on large decaying logs

Sharp-tailed Snake
N. Alligator Lizard
25
Old Growth Dependent SpeciesMammals

• Mammals 26 species
• Bats help control forest insect pests
• Terrestrial species help disperse plant seeds,
  fungus spores, and lichens

Trowbridges shrew
Long-eared myotis
26
Old Growth Dependent Species Birds

• Birds
• Insectivores important for controlling insect
  population outbreaks
• Red Crossbills coevolved with coniferous trees
  (open cones, eat and disperse seeds)
• Marbled Murrelet nests in forest and feeds in
  water

Marbled Murrelet
Red Crossbill
27
Forest Management Wildlife

• Effects of Forest Age on Wildlife
• Old Growth Dependent Species
• Importance of Snags
• Fragmentation and Edge Effects

28
Importance of Snags Cavity Nesting Birds

• Snags (standing dead trees) - food, nesting, and
  roosting
• Large diameter snags are most common in old
  growth
• Primary and Secondary cavity nesters are often
  most abundant in old growth

29
Pileated Woodpecker Foraging Site
30
Animals Dependent on Snags

• Primary Cavity Nesters
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red-bellied Sapsucker
• Secondary Cavity Nesters
• Northern Spotted Owl
• Chestnut-backed Chickadee
• Brown Creeper
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• N. Flying Squirrel

Northern Flicker
N. Flying Squirrel
31
Forest Management Wildlife

• Effects of Forest Age on Wildlife
• Old Growth Dependent Species
• Importance of Snags
• Fragmentation and Edge Effects

32
Habitat Loss Fragmentation

• Overall loss of habitat ( cover)
• Isolates remaining habitat
• Increases edge habitat

interior
edge
33
Forest fragmentation by silviculture in the
Oregon Cascades
34
Forest fragmentation by urban development in King
County
35
Edge Effects

• Increased nest parasitism
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Increased nest predation
• Predators edge-affiliated jays, ravens
• Barriers to movement
• Alter microclimate drier and warmer
• Positive for some species, negative for other
  species

Brown-headed Cowbird
Stellers Jay
36
Less than ¼ of forest zone is intact forest
http//www.intactforests.org/statistics/statistics
.htm